Grand jury hands down 3 indictments

Cody J. Larsen, 24, was charged with one count of second-degree forgery for knowingly possessing a forged Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) prescription for oxycodone on Jan. 9. That’s a class ‘C’ felony punishable by up to five years in prison and $50,000 fine.

Larsen was also charged with one count of fourth-degree attempted misconduct involving a controlled substance for taking a substantial step towards knowingly possessing a controlled substance, oxycodone. That’s a class ‘A’ misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Irene S. Cadiente, 23, was indicted on three counts of second-degree forgery for falsely making, altering or possessing a check belonging to someone else.

The first count is in connection to a $31 check dated Dec. 19, 2011, payable to Safeway and bearing the purported signature of Antonia Lee. The second count is in connection to a $18 check payable to Vintage Fair Cafe. It’s also dated Dec. 19 and purportedly signed by Lee. The third count is in connection to a check (no amount given) from a Wells Fargo bank checking account that belongs to the Honey Bee Anderson Living Trust.

A third person, 23-year-old Musa M. Marenah, was indicted on two drug charges: two counts of second-degree misconduct of a controlled substance for possessing and dealing heroin on March 3.

That’s a class ‘A’ felony, the most serious felony classification, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to charging documents filed by Assistant District Attorney Angie Kemp, an undercover police informant bought three “bindles” of heroin from a 20-year-old Juneau man, Stephen D. Costello, who allegedly purchased them from Marenah.

An affidavit filed by Kemp states the Juneau Police Department, with the assistance of the Alaska Bureau of Investigation’s Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs task force (SEACAD), conducted a controlled buy at the Breakwater Hotel parking lot on March 3.

According to the affidavit, officers observed the informant and Costello meet up at the Duck Creek Market and drive over to the hotel in the same vehicle. There, Costello met a man in a silver Volvo in the parking lot, while the informant waited in his vehicle. Costello then got back in the vehicle with the informant and sold him the drugs for about $200, the affidavit states.

After the exchange, officers followed the Volvo to the Fred Meyer parking lot where they confronted the driver, who was identified as Marenah.

The affidavit states Marenah confessed to police on the spot, and also revealed he flies down to Washington state a couple times a month to purchase the heroin. He said he pays his source in Washington $2,000 per ounce and sells it in Juneau for $100 for a 10th of a gram, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit indicates Marenah has three prior convictions — two driving under the influence convictions in 2005 and 2008 and a 2011 conviction for sixth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance.

Meanwhile, Costello was arrested March 6 and indicted earlier this month. He pleaded not guilty in Juneau District Court, and his jury trial is scheduled to begin in June.

Indictments are a formal accusation of illegal activity, not convictions.

The district attorney’s office presents cases to the grand jury each Friday.